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768 

Ll34 




Glass £ 7C>>^ 



Book. 



il 



MADE PUBLIC JANUARY 23, 1917. 

64th Congress, 1 SENATE— IN EXECUTIVE J Report on 
1st session. SESSION. Ex. D, 64-1 



:^ CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 



September 5, 1916. — Submitted and ordered to be printed in confidence for the use 

of the Senate. 

September 7, 1916. — Ratification of convention advised. 

January 23, 1917. — -Injunction of secrecy removed from convention and report. 



ft.;- .V,. ^■_.. ... 
Mr. Stone, from the Committee on Foreign Relations, submitted the 

following 

REPOKl. 

[To accompany Executive D, 64-1.] 

The Committee on Foreign Relations, which has had under con- 
sideration a convention (Executive D) between the United States and 
Denmark respectmg the cession of the Danish West Indian Islands to 
the United States, signed at New York August 4, 1916, report the 
said convention to the Senate with the recommendation that the 
Senate advise and consent to its ratification, subject to the provisos 
set forth in the resolution of ratification hereto attached. 

The convention provides for the cession to the United States by 
Denmark of the Danish West Indies, consisting of the islands of St. 
Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix (or Santa Cruz). 

The islands of St. Thomas and St. John are a part of the Virgin 
Islands, so named by Christopher Columbus. This chain of islands, 
as stated by Reclus, forms a prolongation of Porto Rico, but bends 
somewhat to the northeast before joining the Lesser Antilles. The 
island of St. Thomas lies about .36 miles east of Porto Rico, St. John 
being immediately east of St. Thomas. St. Croix is situated about 
40 miles south of St. Thomas in the Caribbean Sea. 

ST. THOMAS. 

St. Thomas, notwithstanding its small size, is the most important 
of the Danish West Indies, not only because it is an important coaling 
station and depot of trade with the West Indies, but because of its 
excellent harbor, hereafter referred to. St. Thomas is 12 miles long 
east and west, and from 1 to 3 miles broad. Practically all of the 
inhabitants live in the town called Charlotte Amalie, situated midway 
of the island on the south side. The only article of export is a small 
quantity of bay rum. 



2 h. '1 (s>2 CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 
' ^^ •^ 7" THE HARBOR. 

St, Thomas has a small interior harbor, completely sheltered, which 
will accommodate many vessels. Outside the harbor, on the open 
coast, and in a roadstead partly sheltered by an outlying island, is a 
good anchorage for a great number of ships, and this anchorage is, 
during almost the whole year, sufhcientl}^ smooth to admit of ships 

ATLANTIC OCEAN 

San Juan <:^.Th.n^< ^ ^ ^ 

Porfo \ "^ ^ki.. ^ ^ 




^^rsb Island O ^ 

5t Croix 

CARIBBEAN SEA 



^ 



^ 



CO 



^ 



^ 



I? 







SOUTH AMERICA 



O 



coaling and taking in stores. The harbor is near the middle of the 
south shore of the island, and its entrance at the narrowest part is H 
cables (900 feet) wide, from whence it spreads out on either side to a 
basin a])out three-quarters of a mile in diameter, and, being open to 
the southward, is at all times free of ingress and egress with the pre- 
vailing trade wind, 

ST, JOHN, 

Tliis island is 8 miles long east and west and of irregular breadth. 
Its area is about 40 square miles, and it contains 915 inhabitants. It 
occupies an excellent position near St, Thomas, and its port of Coral 
Bay on the east side is said to be the best harbor of refuge in the 
Antilles during cyclones, 

ST. CROIX. 

St, Croix, so named by Columbus, is situated 40 miles south of St. 
Thomas, and 65 miles from Porto Ilico, It is the largest of the Danish 
West Indies, and its capital. It is 19 miles loni;, of irresrular breadth, 

D. of D. 
FEB 8 1917 



I CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 3 

^nd contains 51,890 acres, of which over 16,000 acres are devoted to 
!^the cultivation of sugar. Christiansted, commonly called the Basin, 
j?is the capital city, and is situated at the head of an inlet on the north 
side. Frederikstead, the second largest town on the island, is situated 
on the west coast, and both towns are connected with the surround- 
ing villages by good roads. There is a small harbor at Frederik- 
stead, and a larger one at Christiansted, not capable, however, of 
receiving many vessels. 

Tlie Danish West India Islands are inhabited mostly by free negroes 
engaged in the cultivation of sugar cane. 

TRADE WITH THE UNITED STATES. 

During the year 1915 the Danish West Indies exported to the 
United States merchandise to the amount of $350,822, of which 
S3 11,002 was in sugar. During the same year the United States 
exported to the Danish West Indies articles to the amount of $703,354. 
The following table gives these imports and exports in detail for the 
3-ears 1914 and 1915: 



Quantities. 



1914 1915 



Values. 



1914 1915 



WEST INDIES — DANISH. 

Imports from. 

Articles, the growth, produce, or manufacture of the United 

States, returned , 

Hides end skins (except fur skins), raw or uncured: 

Goat , dry lbs . , 

All other lbs.. 

Spirits, wines, malt liquors, and other beverages: 

Spirits, distilled pf. galls. 

All other 

Sugar — Cane lbs . , 

Wood , immanufactured— Cabinet woods 

All other articles 



9,054 17,146 
14,665 j 27,996 

7,818 ! 3,034 
I ' _ 

""446'7,'ii9,'874" 



$14, 499 

2,680 
2,231 

5,452 



10 

'4,562" 



Total imports . 



Domestic exports: 



Exports to. 



Breadstutis — 

Bread and biscliit lbs. 

Corn bush. 

Corn meal bbls. 

Wheat flour bbls. 

All other 

Cars, carriages, other vehicles, and parts of 

Chemicals, drugs, dyes, and medicines 

Coal — Bituminous tons. 

Cotton, manufactures of — 

Cloths- 
Colored yds. 

Allotlier yds. 

Wearins; apparel 

All other 

Fish- 
Dried, smoked, or cured lbs. 

All other 

Fruits and nuts 

Iron and steel and manufactures of— 

Machinery, machines, and parts of — 

Mining machmery 

Pumps, and pumping machinery 

All other 

All other manufactures of iron and steel 

Leather and tanned skins, and manufactures of — 

Leather and tanned skins 



So, 016 
5,199 
15, 369 
21, 472 



29,374 



100, 184 
5,851 
14, 754 
21, 070 



90, 105 



182, 752 
41,761 



37, 7S 



107, 913 
28, 422 



4,887 
4,513 
54, 772 
91,347 
6,994 
6,711 
10, 095 
259, 293 



199,816 158,120 



12,056 
3,996 

11,849 
4,920 

8,291 
3,710 
5,442 



19 

749 

9,113 

23, 105 

5,112 



$13, 426 

5,358 
4,939 

1,880 

200 

311,002 

7,012 

7,005 



350, 822 



6,181 

5,379 

56, 993 

116,632 

11,176 

4,170 

10, 621 

117,631 



7,647 
2,931 
6,722 
3,340 

7,797 
4,176 
4,605 



24,045 
5,562 
3,510 

16,471 

4,490 



CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 



■WEST INDIES — DANISH — continued. 

Exports io— Continued. 

Domestic exports— Continued. 

Leather and tanned skins, and manufactures of— Contd. 
Boots and shoes — 

Children's pairs. . 

Men's pairs. . 

Women's pairs. . 

Meat and dairy products — 
Beef products — 

Oleomargarine, imitation batter lbs. 

Beef lbs. . 

Hog products — 

Hams and shoulders, cured lbs. 

Lard lbs . 

Pork, pickled lbs. 

Lard compoimds and substitutes for lard lbs . 

All other meat products 

Butter lbs . 

Cheese lbs . 

Oils- 
Mineral, reflned or manufactured — 

Gas oil and fuel oil galls. , 

Illuminating galls. 

Lubricating and hea\'y paraffin galls.. 

Naphthas, etc. — Gasoline galls. . 

Vegetable, flxed , etc.— Cottonseed lbs. . 

Paper, and manufactures of 

Soap 

Spirits— Alcohol (including pure, neutral, or cologne spir- 
its) pf. galls. . 

Starch lbs.. 

Sugar, refined lbs. . 

Tobacco — 

Unraanufactiu'ed — Leaf lbs. . 

Manufactures of 

Vegetables — 

Beans and dried peas bush.. 

Potatoes (except sweet potatoes) bush. . 

All other 

Wood, manufactures of — 

Lumber — Boards, planks, deals, etc. — 

Pine— White M ft 

Pine, yellow- Pitch M ft . . 

Furniture 

All other manufactures of , 

-A.11 other articles 



Quantities. 



1914 1915 



6,391 
15,681 
16,924 



110,841 
33,146 

50,648 
5.S, 239 
107,110 
188,336 



31,758 
13,712 



26,827 
179,499 
10, 851 
38,866 
60,415 



48, 177 
135,533 
280,052 

123,079 



3,479 
3,560 



320 
469 



Total domestic exports. 
Total foreign exports 



Total exports of merchandise. 



3,593 
10,533 
9,767 



117, 700 
23,810 

40, 557 
51,535 
110, 627 
178,891 



24,770 
26, 814 



41,266 
121,446 
13,055 
16,499 
41,501 



39, 530 
110,496 
121,910 

74,455 



2,996 
6,204 



155 
1,066 



Values. 



1914 1915 



?5,389 
20, 622 
18,415 



11,578 
3,601 

8,561 
6,671 
12,145 
19, 731 
6,894 
5,997 
2,422 



2,327 
20, 647 
3,377 
8,021 
4,899 
5,798 
4,165 

13, 600 

4,861 



13.809 
3,323 

10,305 

2,868 
2,253 



10,370 
10,844 
42,427 
10, 324 
56.275 



889,461 
1,505 



890,966 



?2, 738 
14,418 
11,181 



11,914 
2,856 

6,934 
5,549 
12,200 
16,240 
7,123 
5,179 
5,130 



4,196 
12,804 
4,294 
3,103 
3,357 
5,731 
4,794 

11, 128 
4,021 
5,769 

6,967 
3,655 

11,552 
5,147 
1,943 



6,116 

24,334 

1,430 

9,187 

49,643 



700,713 
2,641 



703, 354 



The United States first attempted the purchase of these islands in 
1865, during the administration of President Lincohi. Secretary 
Seward ai)peare(l to be especially anxious that they should belong 
to the United States. 

James Parton, in 1 869, in a little work entitled "The Danish Islands, 
are we bound in honor to pay for them?" gives an authentic detailed 
account of the negotiations* carricnl on liy Secn^tary Seward, com- 
mencing in 1S65. 

It appears that Mr. Seward fii'st proj)osed to purchase the islands 
at a (hnncr ])arty in January, 1865. Denmark liad no desire to part 
witli lier AVcst India colonies. The assassination of President Lincohi 
and the attempted assassination of Secretary Seward suspended the 
negotiations for some time. In the meantime Secretary Seward vis- 
ited tlie islands. It was not, however, until July 17, 1866, that the 
United States made a definit(> offer ol 5^5,000, 000 for St. Tliomas, St. 
John, and Santa Cruz. 



CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 5 

In 1867, Denmark declined to sell the islands for S5,000,000, but 
offered St. Thomas and St. John for $10,000,000, or §15,000,000 for 
the three. Mr. Seward replied b}" offering S7. 500, 000 in gold for the 
three islands. Denmark agreed to take S7, 500,000 for St. Thomas and 
St. John, but wanted S3, 750, 000 in addition for Santa Cruz. Finally 
Secretary Seward agreed to purchase wSt. Tliomas and St. Jolm for the 
price named by Denmark, $7,500,000, but further complications arose 
because Denmark insisted that the consent of the people of the islands 
should be formally given before the sale was consummated. This was 
at first objected to by Mr. Seward, but he finally cabled our minister 
to ''concede question of vote," and on the 24th of October the treaty 
was signed. 

The c^uestion was submitted to a vote of the people, the voting 
occurrhig in St. Thomas on January 9, 1868, and out of 1,039 votes 
cast there were but 22 votes against the cession. In St. John there 
were but 205 votes in favor of the cession and not one against it. 

The treaty was submitted to the Rigsdag of Denmark and promptly 
ratified and signed by the King on June 31, 1868. It was submitted 
to the United States Senate on December 3, 1867. Senator Sumner 
was chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations during this 
period, and the treaty remained unreported for more than two years, 
when on March 24, 1870, Senator Sumner reported it adversely ancl 
the Senate declined to ratify it. The negotiations for the purchase of 
the islands commenced under President Lincoln ; the treaty was signed 
shortly after Andrew Johnson became President, but it was not 
acted upon until the administration of President Grant. 

Subsec|uently it appears that the purchase of the islands was con- 
sidered by Secretaries Foster and Olney during the administration 
of Presidents Harrison and Cleveland. 

On March 31, 1898, the Committee on Foreign Relations reported 
to the Senate a bill authorizing the President to purchase the islands 
for use as a naval and coaling station. On this bill Senator Lodge 
submitted an exhaustive report, giving in detail the history of the 
islands, and summarizing the history of the negotiations for their 
purchase by the United States. Attached to tliis report is to be 
found correspondence of Secretaries Foster and Olney. Mi\ Lodge's 
report is attached hereto and made a part of this report. 

On January 24, 1902, a convention was signed at Washington by 
Mr. Hay, Secretary of State, and Mr. Brun, Danish minister, for the 
cession to the United States of "the islands of Saint Thomas, Saint 
John, and Sainte Croix, in the West Indies, with the adjacent islands 
and rocks," the consideration being $5,000,000. This convention 
was favorabh' reported by the Committee on Foreign Relations on 
February 5, 1902, and ratified by the United States Senate February 
17, 1902. The treaty was approved by one House of the Danish 
Rigsdag; but, October 21, 1902, the other house by a vote of 32 to 32 
declined to ratify it. 

The pending convention is the third treaty ceding the islands to 
the United States by Denmark. 



6 CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 

VALUE OF THE ISLANDS TO THE UNITED STATES. 

These islands, together witli Porto Rioo, are of great importanee 
in a strategic way, whether tlie strategy be miHtary or commercia]. 
St. Thomas is the natural point of call for all European trade bound 
to the West Indies, Central America, or northern South America. 
The islands form the northeastern corner of the Caribbean Sea and> 
are of great importance in connection with the Panama Canal, and 
are of the first importance in connection with our relations to the 
region of the Orinoco and the Amazon and with our control of the 
Windward Passage. 

Vice Admh al David D. Porter, in a letter to Secretary Seward, dated 
November 6, 1887, emphasized the value of these islands to the United 
States as a naval station. 

Among other things, Admiral Porter said: 

St. Thomas, the principal of the Viroin Islands, holds the most prominent position 
in the West Indies as a naval and commercial station. It is situated in latitude 18° 
22' north, lono;itudc 65° 26' west and lies rii^ht in the track of all vessels from Europe, 
Brazil, East Indies, and the Pacific Ocean, bound to the West India Islands, or to the 
United States. It is the point where all vessels touch for supplies, wdien needed, com- 
inj; from any of the above stations. It is a central point from which any or all of the 
^Yest India Islands can be assailed, while it is impervious to attacks from landing 
parties, and can be fortified to any extent. Nothing can be more beautiful than the 
town and bay of St. Thomas as seen from the sea. or from the great siunmit that over- 
looks them. The bay, at the head of which lies the town of St. Thomas, is almost 
circular, the entrance being by a neck, guarded by two heavy fort*, which although not 
capable at present of resisting the heavy ordnance now in use, can be so strengthened 
and protected that no foreign power could ever hope to take it. 

St. Thomas is a small Gibraltar of itself and could only be attacked by a naval 
force * * *. There is no harbor in the West Indies better fitted tlian St. Thomas 
for a naval station. Its harbor and that of St. John and the harbors formed by Water 
Island, would contain all the vessels of the largest navy in the v.orld, where they would 
be ])rote'jted at all times from bad weather and be secure against an enemy. 

In fine, I think St. Thomas is the keystone to the arch of the "West Indies: it com- 
mands them all. 

The report of the Committee on Foreign Relations, submitted by 
Senator Cullom in 1902 ciuotes Maj. Glassford, of the Signal Corps, 
relative to the military advantages of St. Thomas, as follows: 

The island of St. Thomas offers conditions suitable for developing a first-class 
military outpost. This island possesses all the natural advantages, enabling it to 
be converted into a second Gibraltar. The structure of this narrow island, with its 
long central ridge, having a general elevation of about 1,000 feet, with some points 
500 feet higher, is especially adapted for the emplacement of fortifications commanding 
both shores at the same time, niaking it extremely difficult for an enemy to approach 
or to obtain a foothold upon the island. The elevated ground in the immediate 
neighborhood of the excellent roadsteads which this island affords makes the ciues- 
tion of harbor defense a comparatively easy one. This position, with its few inhabi- 
tants, could be easily provisioned for a long siege. The harbor of Charlotte Amalie 
and the munerous sheltered places about the island afforcl (i and 7 fathoms of water. 
Beside, this harbor and the roadsteads are on the southern side of the island, com- 
pletely protected from the prevailing strong winds. If this place were strongly 
fortified and provisioned, it would be necessary for an enemy contemplating a descent 
upon Porto Rico to first take it into account. 

This location on the northeast rim of the Antilles is in close proximity to many of 
the passages into the Caribbean Sea, and affords an excellent point of observation 
near ICuropean possessions in the archipelago. While being near other islands, St. 
Thomas is practically in the open ocean, and permits the entrance and egress of a 
fleet without its being observed. It is also a center of the West Indian submarine 
cable systems, being ai)out midway Ijetween the Windward Passage and the Trinidad 
entrance into the Caribbean Sea. 



CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 7 

THE TREATY. 

This convention provides that the cession shall include all public 
property and Government archives, bars the impairment of private 
rights, and gives to the Danish National Church the undisturbjd use 
of its churches. Arms and military stores belonging to the Danish 
Government shall remain the property of that Government and be 
removed by it, unless purchased in whole or in part by the United 
States. Claims held by Denmark against the colonial treasuries are 
extinguished by reason of the cession, and no responsibility is 
assumed by the United States. Certain concessions named in the 
treaty are confirmed b}^ the United States and are to be maintained 
in accordance with the terms on which the concessions were given. 

Delivery of the islands by Denmark is to be made bj' agents of the 
Danish Government to agents of the United States immediately upon 
the payment of the sum of money stipulated in the convention, 
$25,000,000, which is to be paid in gold within 90 days from the date 
of the exchange of the ratifications of the convention. 

Provision is made for the preseivation of Danish citizenship by 
residents of the islands desiring to" do so, and for subsequent renuncia- 
tion when desired. The civil rights and political status of the in- 
habitants shall be determined by the Congress of the United States, 
subject to the stipulations of the treaty. 

Treaties, conventions, and other international agreements between 
the United States are to apply ipso facto to the islands, provided there 
is no provision to the contrary. 

Provision is made for the submission to The Hague Tribunal of any 
disputes between the high contracting parties as to the interpretation 
or application of the treaty's terms, if there should arise any differ- 
ences that can not be otherwise settled. 

EESOI.UTION OF RATIFICATIOX. 

Resolved, etc., That the Senate advise and consent to the ratifica- 
tion of the convention between the United States and Denmark, by 
which Denmark cedes to the United States the Danish West Indian 
Islands, which convention was signed at New York on the fourth 
day of August, nineteen hundred and sixteen, by Robert Lansing, 
Secretary of State, on behalf of the United States, and by Constan- 
• tin Brun, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary at 
Washington, representing His Majesty the King of Denmark, on 
behalf of Denmark, and which convention is set forth in its original 
form in Executive Document D, Sixty-fourth Congress, first session: 
Provided, Tiowever, That it is declared by the Senate that in advising 
and consenting to the ratification of the said convention, such advice 
and consent are given with the understanding, to be expressed as a 
part of the instrument of ratification, that such convention shall not 
be taken and construed by the high contracting parties as imposing 
any trust upon the United States with respect to any funds belong- 
ing to the Danish National Church in the Danish West Indian Islands, 
or m which the said church may have an mterest, nor as imposmg 
upon the United States any duty or responsibility with respect to 
the management of any property belonging to said church, beyond 
protecting said church in the possession and use of church property 



8 CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 

as stated in said convention, in the same manner and to the same 
extent only as other churches shall be protected in the possession 
and use of their several properties : And provided further, That the 
Senate advises and consents to the ratification of said convention 
on condition that the attitude of the United States in tliis particular 
as set forth in the above proviso, be made the subject of an exchange 
of notes between the Governments of the two high contracting par- 
ties, so as to make it plain that this condition is understood and 
accepted by the two Governments, the purpose hereof being to 
bring the said convention clearly within the constitutional powers 
of the United States with respect to church establishment and free- 
dom of religion. 



APPENDIX A. 



NAVAL STATION IN THE WEST INDIES. 



Makch 31, 1898. — Ordered to be printed. 



Mr. Lodge, from the Committee on Foreign Relations, submitted the 

following 

REPORT. 

[To accompany S. 4303.] 

The three islands of the Antilles now in the possession of Denmark 
are St. Thomas, St. John, and Santa Cruz. St. Thomas lies in 18° 
20' 40" north latitude and 64° 55' 38" west longitude, and St. John 
about 3 miles to the southeast of it. They both form part of the 
group known as the Virgin Islands, which lies about 38 miles from 
the Spanish island of Puerto Rico at the nearest point. This group 
of about fifty islands, small and large, scattered over an area 24 
leagues east and west by 16 north and south, was discovered and 
named on November 30 by Christopher Columbus during his sec- 
ond voyage to the West Indies, in 1493. At the time of discovery 
these islands were, when inhabited at all, in the possession of the 
Caribs, a tribe of warlike cannibals, and it was not until 1550 that 
they were definitely driven from the archipelago b}^ the Emperor 
Charles V. 

It is not entirely certain when and by whom St. Thomas, the largest 
of the Virgin group, was first settled. On recent and reliable author- 
ity, however, Erik Smidt, who was, it appears, at the head of a trad- 
ing company which had been formed at Copenhagen at about that 
time, took possession of the island in behalf of the Danish Crown on 
the 30th of May, 1666. The Danes, however, seem not to have been 
the first settlers, but there is no certainty who the first settlers actu- 
ally were. At all events, in 1671, on the forming of the West India 
and Guinea Company at Copenhagen, the island of St. Thomas 
passed definitely under the Danish Crown, and, with the exception 
of a short period in 1801 and from 1807 to 1815, when on both occa- 
sions it was occupied as a war measure, the island has remained" 
under the Danish flag for two hundred and twenty years. 



10 CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 

In i\ letter written by the directors of the Danish West India Com- 
pany on December 20, 1716, permission was given to 16 of the inhabit- 
ants of St. Thomas to cultivate the island of St. John. The Danes 
had taken formal possession in 1684, and after the settlement the fate 
of this little island was bound with that of its larger sister. The 
events in the history of these two islands are not numerous. 

In 1724 St. Thomas was formally declared a port of entrance for all 
nations, though this had in fact long been the case. In 1733 occurred 
the great slave insurrection on the island of St. John, which resulted 
in the death of several whites and which was finally put down by the 
assistance of some French troops from Santo Domingo. 

The history of the island of Santa Cruz, which lies somewhat to the 
south of the Virgin group, is far more dramatic. Discovered by 
Columbus in the same month in which he came upon the Virgin 
group, we first find it inhabited in the year 1643 by two distinct 
parties of English and Dutch. Two years later, as a result of mutual 
jealousies and civil war betAveen the two parties, the Dutch were com- 
pelled to leave the island. The English, however, were not long al- 
lowed to enjoy the fruits of their victory, for in 1650 they were at- 
tacked by a force of 1,200 Spaniards and driven from the island. A 
small company of Spaniards Avas left to hold the place. After an 
unsuccessful attem})t to regain possession of the island by the Dutch, 
the 65 Spaniards who had been left to defend it were attacked by a 
force of 160 Frenchmen from St. Kitts and surrendered to the new- 
comers without resistance. Thus in the space of seven years English, 
Dutch, Spanish, and French had in turn sought to gain possession 
of the island of Santa Cruz. 

During the next century its history Avas also eventful. In 1651 the 
Knights of Malta bought St. Christopher, St. Martin. St. Bar- 
tholomew, Tortuga, and Santa Cruz for 120,000 livres. Avhich were 
paid doAvn by Commandant de Poincey. He Avas thus virtual oAvner 
of the islands until 1653. Avhen he ceded them to the Knights of Malta, 
Avhose dominion Avas confirmed by a royal concession, made in March, 
1683, and signed by Louis XIV. The affairs of the islands Avere not 
prosperous, oAving to sickness, restriction of their commerce, and con- 
sequent hindrance to agriculture. After futile attempts to restore 
prosperity to the islands, things became so bad that in 1720 the 
French settlers demolished their forts, abandoned the island, and re- 
moved to Santo Domingo. "After this," says Knox, " it Avas visited 
by the shijis of all nations until 1727, Avhen the French captured seven 
English merchant vessels,' which Avere lying there, and again took 
possession of the island. From this time until the year 1753 it con- 
tinued to be the property of France, from Avhom it Avas at length 
purchased by King Christian VI for 750,000 French livres." 

In 1736 the Danish West India Company allied themselves Avith a 
body of merchants in Copenhagen, and. by excluding the Dutch 
from all commerce Avith the islands, established a monopoly of trade. 
The result of this restriction Avas most unfortunate to the islanders, 
and things Avent from bad to Avoi'se until in 1758 the King took over 
the colonies, paying the company 2,200,000 pieces of eight ($1,418,000) 
for them. They haAc remained ever since in the possession of the 
Danish CroAvn. 

Santa Cruz, the capital of the Danish Islands, has an area of about 
81 English square miles. Its shape is elongated, being about 19 Eng- 



CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 11 

lish miles east and west and from 5 to 1 English miles north and south. 
The northern part of the island is intersected from east to Avest by a 
range of hills or low mountains. The southwestern part of the island 
is level or slightly undulating. The shores are surrounded by coral 
reefs, except in the northwest, where depths of 1,000 fathoms are 
found near the shore. There are several small creeks or water- 
courses in the island. The climate is tropical, the temperature high 
and subject to little variation; the yearly average is 27.2° C.. with^a 
little more than three degrees ditference"^ between the mean tempera- 
ture during the warmest month, August, and the coldest month, 
February. 

A trade wind blows during the whole year with the exception of 
the hurricane months — August, September, and October — when it 
becomes irregular and sometimes ceases altogether. According to 
the last census the population of St. Croix numbered 19,683 souls, of 
which 9,552 are males and 10,251 females. The town of Christian- 
sted contains 5,499 persons and Frederiksted 3,685. The remainder 
live in the rural districts. Sugar is the staple production. Of the 
51,980 acres which the island contains 16,178 acres are in sugar, and 
of the remainder 29,776 acres are chiefly pasture, while 4,926 acres 
are unused. There are some 100 sugar estates on the island in culti- 
vation, and in 1896 the export of sugar amounted to about 15,000 
tons. There is semiweekly regular communication with St. Thomas, 
and the Quebec and the Pickford and Black lines of steamers pro- 
ceed as a rule from St. Thomas to West End or Frederiksted on their 
outward voyages, the former touching at both ports on the return. 

The island of St. Thomas is about 13 miles long by 4 in width, with 
a population of something like 12,000 souls, of which about 200 enjoy 
electoral privileges. Owing to its geographical position and fine 
harbor, which is so easy of access, it long maintained an important 
position as the entrepot of the West Indies, headquarters for many 
lines of steamers, a coaling station, and a port of refuge. In late 
years business has somewhat fallen away. St. Thomas is the West 
India headquarters and coaling station of the Hamburg- American 
Packet Company, and the German, French, and English mail com- 
panies also have coaling stations there. The French mail stops once 
a nionth from Havre, Bordeaux, and the Spanish port of Santander, 
with an intercolonial boat from Martinique and Guadeloupe. The 
German mail from Hamburg direct about every ten days, and the 
English mail every fourteen days, make connection with the English 
and French Windward Islands. The New York service is done by 
the Quebec Line about every three weeks, and by the " Eed D " Line 
once a month. The Pickford and Black steamers call regularly every 
four weeks from St. Johns, New Brunswick, and Halifax via Ber- 
muda. In addition there is a monthly service by the West India and 
Pacific Company from Liverpool, proceeding to Colon, Jamaica, etc. 

St. John is an island with an area of 42 square miles and a popula- 
tion of 915 souls. The product of the island is sugar. 

The first negotiations of the United States for the purchase of the 
Danish Islands were begun by INlr. Seward, then Secretary of State, 
in Januaiy, 1865, at least so it is supposed. There is mention in 
contemporary pamphlets of a dinner party at the French embassy, 
where Mr. Seward first expressed to General Raaslof, the Danish 
charge d'affaires, the desire of the L^nited States to buv the Danish 



12 CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 

Islands in the Antilles. Afterwards other conferences followed of an 
unofficial character, Mr. Seward urging the Danish minister, who 
replied that Denmark had no desire to sell the islands. Great secrecy 
was insisted upon and preserved. This was under the Presidency of 
Lincoln. General Raaslof, who was himself opposed to the sale, re- 
ported these interviews to his Government, who replied that it would 
be advisable to drop the negotiations, as the Danish Government had 
no desire to part with these colonies. Mr. Seward's carriage accident, 
consequent illness, and temporary incapacity for public affairs con- 
firmed this attitude on the part of Denmark. 

In April came the assassination of the President, the wounding of 
Mr. Seward, and the accession of Mr. Johnson to the Chief Executive. 
Mr. SeAvard's recovery was slow, and it was not until December, 1865, 
on the eve of his departure for the South, a journey taken to restore 
his health, that the Secretary of State again mentioned the matter to 
General Raaslof. The complexion of affairs was now somewhat al- 
tered. A new ministry had come into power at Copenhagen, and it 
was less opposed to the sale than the former one had been. Hence, a 
note to Mr. Seward, declaring that although the Government had no 
desire to sell, still it was net unwilling to entertain the Secretary's 
propositions. A request was made that the United States declare 
how much it was willing to give. 

Mr. Seward departed, and during his absence visited St. Thomas 
and convinced himself of the necessity of the purchase. On his re- 
turn he pressed General Raaslof to name a price, and the Danish 
minister in turn demanded that, as the ITnited States wished to buy 
and not Denmark to sell, an offer should be made by the American 
Government. Finally, on July 17, 1866, as General Raaslof was leav- 
ing for Copenhagen, Mr. Seward delivered to him a note offering, on 
behalf of the United States, $5,000,000 for the three Danish islands, 
St. Thomas, St. John, and Santa Cruz. Mr. Seward personally in- 
formed General Raaslof that the representative of the United States 
in Denmark would, for a time, have charge of the affair; also that 
the United States was not pressed for an answer. A few days after 
General Raaslof left America, and soon after his arrival at Copen- 
hagen he Avas appointed minister of war. and, in the work of reor- 
ganizing the Danish army, lost sight of affairs in America. 

Count Frijs. the Danish minister for foreign affairs, who conse- 
quently now had charge of the negotiations, was in favor of the sale, 
but still the affair dragged until January 19, 1867, when Mr. Yeaman, 
United States minister at Copenhagen, received the folloAving tele- 
gram from Mr. Seward : " Tell Raaslof haste important." However, 
nothing was done for two months. Denmark felt a good deal of hesi- 
tation, owing to the uncertainty of the treaty being ratified by the 
Senate, but she became more assured by the absence of opposition in 
the ITnited States to the purchase scheme and by the speedy ratifi- 
cation of the Alaska i^urchase treaty. Nevertheless, at the end of 
two mf)nths Mr. Seward telegrai)he(l again to Mr. Yeaman. " AVant 
yea or nay now." Mr. Yeaman at once communicated with General 
Raaslof, but it was not until the 17t]i of May, 1867, that Count Frijs 
made a counter proposition to Mr. Seward's note. Through the me- 
dium of Mr. Yeaman, he declined on behalf of Denmark the offer of 
$5,000,000 :in(l offered the islands for $15,000,000, or St. Thomas and 



CESSIOlSr OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 13 

St. John for $10,000,000, with the option of taking Santa Cruz for 
$5,000,000 more. ' 

Count Frijs explained that the ratification of the treaty of cession 
by the Rigsdag would be necessary, and that the Danish Government 
would require that the consent of the people of the islands should be 
freely and formally given. In ten days Mr. Yeaman was in recei^jt 
of Mr. Seward's answer to this proposition, wdiich was in substance 
this : " The United States will pay for the three islands $7,500,000 in 
gold." Mr. Seward objected, however, to the condition that the con- 
sent of the inhabitants of the islands was necessary, and thought it 
sufficient that they should have the free choice of leaving the islands 
within two years or remaining and becoming American citizens. 
Mr. Yeaman immediateh^ communicated these instructions to the 
Danish minister for foreign affairs, who promised an early answer. 
This answer was given in a month, in an interview between Count 
Frijs and Mr. Yeaman. Mr. Seward's second offer was refused and 
a counter proposition made. This was that Denmark would cede the 
islands for $11,250,000, or 20,000,000 Danish rix dollars, or St. 
Thomas and St. John for $7,500,000, and Santa Crux at option for 
$3,750,000. Count Frijs further declared that taking a vote of the 
people of the islands before the cession was absolutely indispensable. 

Mr. Seward's second offer being thus formally rejected by the 
Danish Government, Mr, Yeaman now informed Count Frijs that his 
instructions obliged him to announce that the offer of the United 
States was w ithdrawn and the negotiations ended. Nevertheless, on 
July 6, 1867, Mr. Seward telegraphed to Mr. Adams in London : "Tell 
Yeaman close with Denmark's offer. St. John, St. Thomas, seven 
and one-half millions. Eeport brief by cable. Send treaty ratified 
immediately." Still the negotiations lagged. Mr. Seward was 
strongly opposed to the vote by the islanders, but the Danish Govern- 
ment was firm on this point, and he finally cabled to Mr. Yeaman: 
" Concede question of vote." On the 2ttth of October, 1867, the treaty 
was finally signed by the Danish minister and by Mr. Yeaman on 
behalf of the United States. 

There remained the vote of the islanders. Mr. Carstensen was sent 
as Danish commissioner to take the vote, and Mr. Seward dispatched 
Dr. Hawlev to the islands to attend to American interests. He ar- 
rived at St". Thomas on the 12th ot November, 1867; on the 18th of 
November, before the vote was taken, there occurred a terrible earth- 
quake, which did much damage to the island, and affairs came tempo- 
rarily to a standstill. They were resumed on November 26, and on 
January 9, 1868, the vote was taken in St. Thomas, and on the follow- 
ing day in St. John. In the larger island there were cast 1,039 votes 
for the cession and only 22 against it, and in the smaller 205 votes for 
and none against. There were fears in Denmark that the United 
States would not ratify even after Denmark was fully committed, 
but Mr. Seward calmed these fears with renewed assurances of suc- 
cess, and after some hesitation the treaty was ratified by the Rigsdag 
and signed by the King on January 31, 1868. This ratification oc- 
curred in the midst of the fierce political war between President 
Johnson and Congress. The limit of time named in the treaty for 
ratification was February 24, 1868, and this went by without action 
by Congress. The time was then extended to October 14, 1868. All, 



14 CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 

however, was useless. Denmark made repeated endeavors, in the 
person of her minister and through the medium of other powers, to 
conchide the negotiations, but in vain. The treaty fell a victim to the 
storm of political hatred then raging in this country, and in the ses- 
sion of 1868, after an adverse report, the United States Senate 
dropped it. 

In Schuyler's American Diplomacy, page 23, we find the following 
comment : 

Denmark had no particular desire to sell to the United States, but was per- 
suaded to do so. The Inhabitants of the islands had already voted to accept the 
United States as their sovereign. The late Mr. Charles Sunnier, then chairman 
of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, who v,as engaged in a 
personal quarrel with the administration, simply refused to report back the 
treaty to the Senate, and he was supported by a sufficient number of his com- 
mittee and of Senators to enable the matter to be left in this position. It re- 
quired new negotiations to prolong the term of ratification, and it was with 
great difficulty that in a subsequent session the treaty was finally brought be- 
fore the Senate and rejected. As may be imagined, our friendly relations witli 
Denmark were considerably impaired by tins method of doing business. 

After a lapse of twenty-four years since the rejection of this treaty, 
the negotiations were reopened in 1892, while Hon. John W. Foster 
was Secretary of State. The accompanying papers (Appendix A), 
which, in response to a request for information, were sent to the 
chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations by the Assistant 
Secretary of State on May 12, 1897, contain a full account of the most 
recent negotiations, including, in addition to those of Mr. Foster, the 
correspondence of Mr. Olne}" on this subject, in 1896, for the pur- 
chase of the Danish Islands and of the condition and value of the 
harbor of St. Thomas. 

The arguments in favor of the possession of these islands can be 
briefly stated, and appear to the undersigned to be unanswerable. 
So long as these islands are in the market there is always the danger 
that some European power may purchase or try to purchase them. 
This would be an infraction of the Monroe doctrine, and would at 
once involve the United States in a very serious difficulty with the 
European power Avhich sought possession of the islands. In the in- 
terest of peace, it is of great importance that these islands should 
pass into the hands of the United States and cease to be a possible 
source of foreign complications, which might easily lead to war. 

From a military point of view the value of these islands to the 
United States can hardW be overestimated. We have always been 
anxious to have a good naval and coaling station in the West Indies. 
Important in time of peace, such a station Avould be essential to our 
safet}^ in time of war. Successive administrations have labored to 
secure a West Indian naval station. During the war of the reljel- 
lion the United States leased the harbor of St. Nicholas from Hayti 
for this purpose. General Grant endeavored during his Presidency 
to secure Samana Bay. The effort to obtain the Danish Islands, as 
has been shown, was begun by Mr. Seward during the Presidency of 
Abraham Lincoln. The fine harbor of St. Thomas fulfills all the re- 
quired naval and military conditions. 

As has been pointed out by Captain Mahan. it is one of the great 
strategic i)oints in the West Indies. The poi)ulati()n of the three 
islands is only 33.000, of whom nearly 30.000 ai-e negroes, the others 
being chiefly of English or Danish extraction. There is no possi- 



CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 15 

bility of any material increase in the population, and annexation 
would never involve at any time the troublesome question of State- 
hood. The Danish Islands could easily be governed as a Territory — 
could be readily defended from attack, occupy a commanding strate- 
gic position, and are of incalculable value to the United States, not 
only as a part of the national defense, but as removing by their pos- 
session a very probable cause of foreign complications. 

Appendix A. 

[Confidential.] 

Legation of the United States, 

Copenhagen, Xeji-eiuher 28. 1892. 

SiE : I am unofficially authorized to inform you that a proposal from the Gov- 
ernment of the United States to revive the convention of 1867, by which it was 
proposed to cede the islands of St. Thomas and St. .John to the United States, 
would now receive favorable consideration from the Danish Government, the 
meaning of which is that the Danish Government will now, if desired, cede 
those islands to the United States upon the terms of the convention of 1867. 
The incidents through which I feel myself authorized to so inform you are as 
follows : 

On Thursday, the 1.5th instant, I called upon Mr. Estrup, the minister of 
finance and premier of Denmark, to sjieak with him in regard to the loan of 
the Icelandic books giving an account of the discovery of America by Lief 
Anderson, so nmch desired by you for the State Department exhibit at the 
World's Columbian Exposition. In the course of the conversation we recalled 
some of the interesting questions which have been considered by the United 
States and Denmark, and special reference was made to the treaty in question, 
in which Mr. Estrup was specially interested, he having been at tlie time of its 
consideration a member of the Danish cabinet, occupying the post of minister 
of the interior. Reference was also made to his (Mr. Estrup's) conversations 
with Colonel Arendrup, governor of the Danish West Indies, an account of 
which I gave in my No. 47 of July 17, 1891. 

In the course of the conversation Mr. Estrup said that he would now be will- 
ing to cede those islands to the United States, and indicated that he would be 
willing to do so upon the terms then agreed upon, etc., and it was suggested 
that the treaty could be revived, etc. I replied that while I had no authority 
from my Government to make any declaration whatsoever in regard to the 
matter, I should feel it to be my duty, if informed that the Danish Government 
vrere willing to give the matter favorable consideration, to so report to my 
Government. I then explained the condition of affairs at Washington incident 
to the coming change of Administration, and said that it was scarcely probable, 
however the matter might be regarded, that there could be any action at pres- 
ent, etc., but added tliat there seemed to be a growing feeling in the United 
States that we require a naval, coaling, and supply station in the West 
Indies, etc. 

The conversation was quite extended, the minister giving me his views at 
length, the substance of which was that while these islands would be of inesti- 
mable value to the United States, it would be better for Denmark to cede them 
on the terms of the convention of 1867, etc. I left him, substantially agreeing 
with him in this view of the matter, but declaring that I had no authority to 
make any proposals, nor even suggestions, and that I should not feel it to be 
my duty to give the matter attention unless it should appear that the Danish 
Government was disposed to give the matter favorable consideration, in which 
case I should feel it to be my duty to inform my Government of such disposi- 
tion, etc. 

On Tuesday, the 22d instant, a week after this conversation, IMr. Estrup 
called at my house to say that he had been considering the matter since our 
interview, and had spoken at length concerning it with Baron Reedtz-Thott, 
the minister of foreign affairs, who was of the same opinion as himself, and 
that he, Baron Reedtz-Thott, would speak with me about it, etc. 

On the same afternoon, upon my calling at the foreign office, the matter was 
brought up and Baron Reedtz-Thott expressed himself as equally ready to receive 
with favorable consideration a proposal from our Government to revive the 



16 CESSION OF THE DAXISH WEST INDIES. 

treatj', etc. I repeated to him what I had said to tlie premier as regarded the 
present Administration, and that I liad no authority to make any proposal 
nor suggestion, etc., he declaring that lie Ivnew this perfectly well, that Mr. 
Estrup and he had talked this all over, but that they could see no harm in me 
and my Government being apprised confidentially of their views, etc. I then 
said that I should feel it to be my duty to communicate these views confiden- 
tially to you, etc. 

About an hour after I left the minister of foreign affairs, he called upon me 
at my house and said that he had been reflecting upon the matter and had con- 
cluded that it was his duty, before authorizing me to make any statement to 
my Government, to lay it before His Majesty the King, which he could do in a 
day or two, to v.'hich I, of course, replied that I would await further informa- 
tion from him. 

On Friday afternoon, three days later, the minister of foreign affairs again 
called upon me at my house and simply said : " You may write to your Govern- 
ment that the matter will receive favorable consideration." 

The question will naturally arise as to the motives which prompted the Danish 
authorities to so express themselves in regard to this matter, and it may pos- 
sibly be inferred that the Government is in financial embarrassment and that 
money is needed to tide over some pressing financial difficulties. This is by no 
means the condition of affairs. There is scarcely a Government of Europe whose 
financial condition or credit is more sound. The Danes are a prudent, eco- 
nomical, thrifty people, with whom the idea of pay as you go is carried out in 
public as well as in private affairs. There is no emergency which requires 
them to so act, and while the authorities express themselves confidentially, as 
has been stated, in consequence of the failure of the treaty of 1867 in the Senate 
of the United States, they will never formally propose that it be revived. What- 
ever may be the views of our people upon the action of the Senate at that time, 
after the people of those islands, at the suggestion and request of the King of 
Denmark, had, with almost perfect imaniiuity, voted for separation, and the 
Danish Rigsdag had confirmed the treaty, the failure of the Senate of the 
United States to confirm it was most humiliating to the Danes. 

There are, however, certain public improvements which the Danes would like 
to make, to only one of which I will refer. 

In the otherwise beautiful city of Copenhagen the most conspicuous and un- 
siglitly object is the ruined palace of Christiansborg, whose grim and blackened 
walls have stood since 1SS4, when the great edifice was burned. It has been 
the abode of royalty, contained the assembly chambers of their legislative bodies, 
great galleries of art, and all that went to make up and embellish this magnifi- 
cent building, which was really the capitol of Denmark. The entrances to the 
great palace were sentineled by colossal statues, masterpieces of Thorwaldsen, 
wonders of art, which fortunately were uninjured and are still standing in all 
their splendor, in striking contrast with the gi'im and somber ruin they were 
created to adorn. From every quarter of the city one may see Christiansborg, 
which, though in ruins, in grandeur and subliuuty still surpass every otlier 
object. Everywhere in Copenhagen, and even in the country, one is reminded 
of the ruins of the great palace. In several of the galleries of art one sees ex- 
quisite pictures, creations of the great masters, which were torn from their 
frames while tl^e palace was burning. Surrounding the ruined palace, adjoining 
the courtyard, are the Thorwaldsen IMusoum, th.e Old North ]\Iuseum, the great 
library containing GOO.OOO volumes, and the departments of state, all of which 
were saved from destruction. 

It was in one of tiiese buildings, an annex to the ruined palace, the dejiartment 
of finance, where I first si)oke with Mr. Estrup on this question, and from this 
jioint of view it did not seem strange to me than a finance nnnister of this King- 
dom should be willing and should regard it as the part of wisdom to obtain the 
means of restoring his capital and to make other public improvements through 
the ce.ssion of territory thousands of nnles distant, whose people have voted 
witli almost perfect unaninnty and .still wish to cast their lot with the people 
of the hennsphere to which they belong and with whom they are allied in lan- 
guage and in trade relations. 

I need not i-ecall the argument upon the treaty of a quarter of a century ago, 
but it is proper lliat somclhiiig b(> said about tlie harbor of St. Thomas and the 
conditions that now jti-csent tlienisclvi's. It is almost circular in form, the en- 
trance to which is by a neck guarded i)y two heavy forts, and capable of accom- 
modating oOO vi'ssels. The island, 13 miles long by an average of 3 miles wide, 
has l)een justly designated as a small Gibraltar. It is asserted by the highest 
authority that it can at .small expense i)e made impregnable. 



CESSIOlSr OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 17 

Unlike the mole of St. Nicholas, where a large amount would have to be ex- 
pended to erect suitable wharves and other necessary improvements and to 
defend them against dangers from a capricious government. St. Thomas has 
already, throiigh private enterprise, her great wharves, upon which thousands of 
tons of coal are deposited, an enormous floating dock capable of receiving vessels 
of 3,000 tons, marine slips for repairing small vessels, immense cisterns for the 
storage of water for the supply of vessels, a factory where every kind of iron- 
work for the repair of vessels can be turned out, including boilers, shafts, etc. 
The representatives of every industry and trade relating to the building and 
supply and navigation of ships — ship brokers, ship carpenters and calkers, ii'on 
founders, coal dealers, and others — can supply every demand of commerce. 
There are wharves alongside of which ships drawing 27 feet of water can be 
moored and coaled, day or night, at the rate of from 60 to 100 tons per hour. 

It is asserted and believed that the necessary defenses and the furnishing and 
equipping any other naval station in the West Indies, which nature and enter- 
prise have already supplied to St. Thomas, if this were possible, would cost 
much more than the sum fixed upon in 1S67 as a consideration foi the cession of 
the islands of St. Thomas and St, .John to the United States. 

These Danish Islands, with the splendid harbor of St. Thomas, presenting all 
we can possibly desire for a naval and supply station — location, security, am- 
plitude, development — everything is within our reach upon terms which were 
regarded as reasonable when far less important or valuable to us. The vast 
increa.se of steam navigation necessitating supply stations for coal and ma- 
chinery, the expansion of our commerce, the building up of our splendid new 
Navy, the prospect of a ship canal across the isthmus, which will make St. 
Thomas one of the most important stations upon voyages around and to most 
of the countries of the world, all these considerations and many more combine 
to make the possession of this harbor of far more importance to us than when 
the question of its acquisition was under consideration a quarter of a cen 
tury ago. 

I therefore feel it to be ray imperative duty to apprise yon of the views of the 
Danish authorities in regard to this important matter, and at the same time to 
venture to declare as my deliberate opinion that we should avail oiirselves of 
the opportunity which now presents itself to -acquire this haven and stronghold 
for our conunerce and ships of war, and to expi-ess the hope that this Adminis- 
tration, if it can do no more, will take measures to open the way to so desirable 
a consummation. 



I have, etc.. 

Hon. JOHX W. FOSTEK, 

Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. 



Clakk E. Cark. 



Legation of the United States, 

Copenhagen, Novemlier 29, 1892. 

Dear Mr. SecreTxVKY : I send you to-day a confidential dispatcli, No. 129, on 
the Danish West Indies, by which you will see that, without committing myself 
or tlie Government in the least, I have learned that we can have St. Thomas 
and St. John on the terms agreed upon in 1867. 

I believe that we must have a station in that region, and that it will be found 
that this is tlie best one available, and that it will be sought for on our part 
soon, and that this Administration .should take the initiative. This can now 
be done if desired, but should the President not be inclined to do so, we are not, 
as you will see. committed in the least. 

It seems to me that it would be wise for the President to take up the matter 
of securing such a station in his message to Congress, but of course I would 
not presume to advise him. There are certainly many reasons why we had 
better have such a splendid harbor and own the whole islands inhabited by a 
people who really desire to cast their lot with us, and who will become loyal, 
patriotic Americans, than to have a station situated among a people of a dif- 
ferent nationality. 

Whatever may be thought of the matter, I hope that you will so instruct me 
that I may be able to show Mr. Estrup and Baron Reedtz-Thott that you are 
not indifferent to their feelings in the matter, and that you appreciate the sug- 
gestions they have confidentially made in our private unofficial interviews. 
They will not be disappointed if you simply say that the matter can not be 

77934—17 2 



18 CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 

taken up so late in the Administration, as I have informed them that tliis will 
probably be the case, but you know far better than I what is best. You are 
only, of course, supposed to be confidentially informed that it will receive 
favorable consideration. * * * 



Gen. John W. Foster. 



Clark E. Cakb. 



rConfideutiaL] 

DEPARTiUSNT OF STATE, 

Washington, December 20. 1892. 

Sib : I have to acknowledge the receipt of your confidential dispatch No. 129, 
of November 28, 1892, with reference to the willingness evinced by the Danish 
Government to cede to the United States the islands of St. Thomas and St. 
John on the basis of the convention of 1867. 

I take pleasure in commending the skill and tact with which you have re- 
ceived the approach of the Danish Government on the subject, and while ascer- 
taining the disposition of. the Danish Government have in no way committed 
the Government of the United States. 

The question of the acquisition of the islands is one of far-reaching and na- 
tional importance, the extent of which is appreciated by no one more than the 
President. As his administration is, however, drawing to its close, he considers 
it inadvisable to express any views or indicate any policy the consummation of 
which he could not effect. 

He directs me to express his cordial appreciation of the friendly attitude of 
the Danish Government and of the confidence and frankness displayed by Mr. 
Estrup^ and Baron Reedtz-Thott in their conversations with you. 

You are therefore instructed to convey verbally to these gentlemen the senti- 
ments of the President, and to explain the reasons, if they are not clearly ap- 
prehended, why the present consideration of the cession of the islands of St. 
Thomas and St. John is impracticable. 
I am, etc., 

John W. Foster. 

Clark E. Carb, Esq., Copenhayen. 



[Telegram.] 

Department of State, 
Washington, December 31, 1892. 
Caek, Minister, Copenhagen: 
Take no action on instruction No. 128 for present. 

Foster. 



[Telegram.] 

Department of State, 
Washington, February J/, 1893. 
Carr, Minister, Copenhagen: 

l^'ou can execute instruction No. 128 at convenient opportunity. 

Foster. 



Legation of the United States, 

Copenhagen, January 2, 1893. 
Sir: On Saturday night, the 31st ultimo, I received from you a telegram as 
follows : 

" Carr, minister : Take no action on instruction No. 128 for present. Foster." 
On this morning came in the mail your confidential dispatch No. 128. 
As I understand the telegram, it is my duty to say nothing more concerning 
the matter until I receive further advices from the Department. Should it still 
be under consideration, it is no doubt better to wait, but I hope in the near 
future to be authorized to malce some recognition on the pai't of our Government 
of the suggestions of the Danish authorities. 
I have, etc., 

Clark E. Carr. 
Ildii. .ToHN W. Foster, 

Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. 



CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 19 

I Confidential.] 

Legation of the United States, 

Copenhagen, Februari/ 22, 1893. 

Sir : Referring to iny confidential dispatch No. 129, to your confidential dis- 
patch No. 128, and to your two dispatches 129 and 134, and to my 132, regard- 
ing the confidential information that the United States can now, if desired, 
acquire the islands of St. Thomas and St. John upon the terms designated in 
the convention of 1867 between the United States and Denmark, I have to say 
that as soon as opportunity offered after receiving your second telegram I 
spoke with Mr. Estrup and Baron Reedtz-Thott, giving them the views of the 
President as you instructed me to do. 

They were not surprised at this, as I had previously given them to under- 
stand that it was improbable tliat the President would take the matter up when 
his Administration was so near its close. Each, however, spoke of the pending 
negotiations regarding Hawaii, and suggested that perhaps they may have had 
some influence in the matter, and reference was made to a statement that has 
appeared in the newspapers that we are looking to the acquisition of Samana 
Bay, etc., and tliat this may perhaps influence our Government unfavorably in 
regard to St. Thomas, etc. Of course I could express no opinion in regard to 
this, but it seemed to them, as it appears to me, that with a canal across the 
Isthmus the acquisition of Hawaii makes it even more important that we 
should have a station in the West Indies. 

Of course any action will depend on the views of the incoming Administra- 
tion. Should it be regarded as worthy of further consideration, while it would 
be a great satisfaction to me to be permitted to pursue a matter to which I 
have given some considerable thought, it will be a pleasure to me as well as 
my duty to aid ray succe.ssor in office in every way in my power to attain the 
end that may seem desirable. 

It seems to be the opinion of all those who are informed as to the needs of 
our new Navy and of our growing commerce that the time has arrived when 
we. require a nj;ival station in the West Indies. For such a station, in location, 
accessibility, amplitude, and natural strength, the harbor of St. Thomas pre- 
sents far greater advantages than any other that is available. 

With its natural advantages it can be made impregnable, and it is my delib- 
erate opinion that with these advantages, and its wharves and docks and build- 
ings and machinery already established by private enterprise, the acquisition 
of this splendid harbor upon the terms suggested, and its equipment, would in 
the end be far less expensive than that of any other in that region. 
I have, etc., 



Hon. John W. Foster, 

Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. 



Clark E. Oarr. 



Legation of the United States, 

Copenhagen, January 14, 1896. 

Sir : Several Nev.- York newspapers, of dates about the 1st instant, arrived 
here yesterday and created considerable interest by certain contents to the 
effect that Denmark was offering, through Mr. Henrick Cavling, a newspaper 
editor of this city, but now in Washington, to sell to the United States the 
West India Islands, St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John ; and intimating that 
if the United States did not buy them Germany would probably do so. Some 
newspaper reporters called at this legation and asked to be informed whether 
any such negotiations were pending. Of course I declined to say anything 
whatever on the subject. 

During the day I had an entirely informal conversation with Mr. Vedel, the 
director-general of the ministry of foreign affairs, in which he exhibited to me 
copies of the articles in question, which he said had been sent to him by one 
of the city newspapers with a request for information ; but he said he would 
say nothing about it to the press. To me he said, however, that Mr. Cavling 
was a self-appointed agent and had no authority nor instigation from the for- 
eign office, nor was there any negotiation whatever pending between Denmark 
and Germany for the sale or transfer of the islands. 

Thinking that in the changed condition of affairs it might be or might become 
desirable for the United States to reopen the negotiation for the purchase of 



20 CESSION OF THE DANISH WEST INDIES. 

the islands, I said tliat, while I had no instruction whatever on the suhject 
from my Government, I would j^ersonally be glad to be informed whether Den- 
mark was inclined to reopen the matter. He replied that certainly Den- 
mark, having met with a disastrous failure in the effort of 186S, could not pro- 
pose to reopen it ; but if the United States should choose to do so, he was of 
opinion that his Government would be inclined to sell them, though he was 
personally opposed to it. 

I am aware of the action taken by the Department and my predecessor in 
the early months of 1893, but the subject was dropped then because of the 
approaching close of the Administration of President Harrison. 

It is wholly unnecessary for me to discuss the value of these islands to the 
United States. It is quite apparent that in certain contingencies they might 
be very useful, but whether on the whole it would be wise to purchase them 
I do not presume to express an opinion. All I desire to say is that if our Gov- 
ernment shall wish to take up the matter I believe it can be brought to a more 
speedy conclusion and with more seci'ecy and safety by carrying on the nego- 
tiation here rather than in Washington. 
I have, etc., 

John E. Risley. 

Hon. Richard Olney, 

Secretory of State, Washington, D. C. 



Legatio>' or THE United States, 

Copenhagen, January IS, 1896. 

Sir : I have the honor to report that early this afternoon Baron Zytphen- 
Adler, from the Danish foreign office, called at this legation and said the minis- 
ter would be much obliged if I would call at the ministry at 3.30 o'clock. On 
complying with the request, the minister told me he had received two cable- 
grams from Mr. Bruu, Danish minister at Washington, in regard to the sale 
of the Danish West India Islands. 

The first, received yesterday, was to the effect that Jlr. Brun had a conversa- 
tion with yourself, which his excellency said he did not clearly understand 
and had awaited further advices; the second came to-day and was to the effect 
that a j-esolution on the subject had been offered in the Senate. There was no 
explanation of the character of the resolution, nor was the name given of the 
Senator who offered it. 

The minister said he wished me to clearly understand that no one had been 
authorized to offer the islands for sale to any power v\-luitever, nor would they 
be offered for sale. The minister continued, however, to say that if the United 
States should make an offer for them he could assure me that it would be 
fairly considered ; that the great publicity given to the subject would no doubt 
increase the difficulties here and make it more difiicult to carry the matter 
through to success; and there might possibly be an objection from France as 
to the island of St. Croix, from whom it was acquired some two hundred years 
ago. He thought not, but deemed it right to mention the possibility, as it was 
better to have everything as clearly understood as possible before proceeding 
further. 

The foregoing is the substance of what his excellency said. I .eplied that I 
understood the position of the Danish Government to be that they would make 
no offer, but that if an offer should be made by the Government of the United 
States it would be considered in a friendly spirit, and I informed him I had 
already written to you to that effect, substantially, on the strength of an in- 
formal conversation had with Mr. Vedel, the director-general. 

The impre.ssion made on my mind is that the minister will gladly welcome 
an offer from the United States. Though not a word was said on the subject 
in this connection, I think the condition of political parties here would make 
it rallicr desirabh' to the ministry to carry to a speedy success such a negotiation. 

Awaiting any instructions you may have to give, 
I have, etc., 

John E. Risley. 

Hon. Richard Olney, 

Sterctary of State, Washington, D. C. 

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